Prefix · before / in front
Signals a front position or anticipation of something: forecast, forearm, forehead, foresee.
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Fore- comes from Old English "fore" (in front, before) and signals a front position in space or an earlier position in time. forearm = the part of the arm in front of the elbow; forehead = the front of the head; forecast = a calculation made in advance; foresee = to see before something happens.
The most important use of fore- is anticipation or prediction: forecast (weather prediction), foresight (ability to predict the future), foreshadow (hint at something before it happens), forewarn (warn in advance). In every case, fore- signals that something is done or known before an event occurs.
Attaches to verbs and nouns. Do not confuse with "for-" (no final "e"), which is a different prefix:
Pronunciation: /fɔːr/, rhymes with "door." Do not confuse with "for-" (forget, forgive, forbid), which is a different Germanic prefix signalling prohibition or loss.
fore-/fɔːr/
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The American standard is /ˈfɔːrhed/ (two clear syllables). Traditional British pronunciation is /ˈfɒrɪd/ (almost like "forrid"). Both are correct depending on the variety.
"Weather forecast" is the most common collocation, but "forecast" applies to any quantitative prediction: sales forecast, economic forecast, demand forecast, budget forecast.
A trick to remember it
Fore- = "in front" or "before": forearm = the front part of the arm, forehead = the front of the head, forecast = a prediction made ahead of time. Think of fore- as "what comes first" — either in space (the front) or in time (before it happens).
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"Nobody could have ___ the dramatic events that completely changed the outcome of the election."
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
What is the difference between "forecast" and "foreshadow"?
The prefix fore- signals a front position or anticipation of something: forecast, forearm, forehead, foresee. In Spanish it usually maps to pre- / ante-.
The prefix fore- is pronounced /fɔːr/. For example, "forecast".
"cast" becomes "forecast". It is a typical example of the fore- prefix.
un-, re-, pre-, dis-, over-, in-... every beginning you need to unlock thousands of English words at once.